Preston, IA

Preston was laid out when the railroad reached eastern Jackson County in 1870. The first train came in on the Sabula, Ackley and Dakota line, and the town took the name of founder I. M. Preston. Its location on Iowa Highway 64, about eleven miles west of the Mississippi River and east of Maquoketa, still gives it a practical role between farm country, county services, and the river towns.

ATTRAshton B Crew / CC BY 3.0

The biggest institution in town is Easton Valley Junior/Senior High School. Easton Valley Community School District formed in 2013 when the Preston and East Central districts merged; grades 7-12 remain in Preston, while the elementary school is in Miles and the district also serves Sabula and surrounding communities. City planning has focused on downtown buildings, housing, streets, utilities, and the volunteer departments that keep a small place running. Those plans keep growth questions close to home. Preston's identity is tied to the old rail corridor, but its everyday network is now school-centered and regional.